These 25 Animals Will Teach You How To Do Yoga

The ancient spiritual and physical practice of yoga is a decidedly human invention, but that doesn’t mean that animals can’t get in on the fun also! Here are 25 cute and furry friends that took a page from their health-minded owners’ books and did some relaxing stretches.

OK, so maybe they aren’t ALL doing yoga, but the resemblance between their poses and a few popular yoga stretches is uncanny. Some yoga poses, like upward- and downward-facing dog, are clear nods to the fact that our domesticated friends came up with these poses before we did. While they may not be feeling the spiritual context that many people associate with the practice of yoga, you can tell that they still love a good stretch.

There can be many reasons why your pet might want to stretch (besides because they’ve been napping all day), but for most, it can be a way to express their comfort and submissiveness around you.